Nashua Pride Opening Weekend Pictures

It only took a week, but I finally managed to get some pictures from last week’s Nashua Pride games that my wife and I attended. Big props to Mrs. OMDQ, who downloads these from the camera because I’m too technologically illiterate to do it myself.

Looking at the field for the first time, Joey appeared a little unsure of what he was actually seeing. One of my favorite parts of being a dad is watching him look at things for the first time and trying to imagine what is going on inside that little brain.

The first game we went to, Opening Night, featured a pregame ceremony in which members of the Pride team and staff received 2007 Can-Am League championship rings. The first person introduced was former PA announcer Ken Cail, who served in that capacity for the team’s first ten seasons before moving down the highway to do radio broadcasts for the Lowell Spinners (A-Red Sox).

On hand to receive his ring was Olmo Rosario, the 2007 Can-Am League’s Most Valuable Player. While he was standing in line, a fan in the next section raced around trying to set up an “Ol-mo” chant that seemed like it was left over from last season. Didn’t really work out well. Olmo is currently playing for the Connecticut Defenders in the Eastern League, hitting .319 with three homeruns, 17 RBI and 10 steals.

After the ring ceremony was complete, they raised the championship banner on the flagpole in right field. My wife managed to snap a picture just as the wind kicked up and made the banner wave, just like banners are supposed to do.

Game 2 of the season. Joey hadn’t quite recovered from Opening Night.

Prior to the game, longtime manager had his number 17 retired by the team. He was given a framed jersey and his number was hung on the wall below the press box. As you can see, I got a picture of one of those things.

Problem was, I meant to get a picture on Opening Night and never did, so these were taken pregame, before Butch’s number was added. Next time I go, I’ll get a shot of his number, which actually hangs directly over one of the tunnels. The numbers on this side, on the left of the press box if you’re standing with your back to home plate, belong to Joe Grahe, Milt Cuyler, Felix Jose, and Glenn Murray. The first three used Nashua as a springboard back to the major leagues. Murray was a longtime fan favorite who broke the Atlantic League record for homeruns with the Pride.

On this side: Mike Easler, the first manager in 1998; Curtis Pride, who used to spend about a month with the team every spring before some team realized they should have signed him already; and some guy named D’Avilia. I wanna say his first name is Vic, but I’m not entirely sure, or why he’s up there.

And finally, we need to include a photo of the Pride mascot, Stitches…or, as I like to call him, Mr. Met North.

Nice pics. I want to get to the bottom of this D’Avilia thing, though. According to b-r.com, there was a guy named Vic Davila in the Toronto system in the ’90s. But I don’t think they’re the same guy. The “history” page on the Pride website doesn’t shed any light on the matter, either.

I’m going to the game tonight, so maybe I’ll do some digging and see what’s what with Davilia. He definitely wasn’t a manager – I’m guessing a coach.

Here’s a fun fact about the team history page on the Nashua Pride web site: I wrote it. The breakdown of Nashua-based teams is new, and they’ve added some new names to the list of key players over the years, but I put that page together back in 2003 and maintained it through 2004. Even the “Did You Know” question at the bottom is mine. So there you go.

Vic Davilla managed North Shore Spirit the team the Pride beat last year in championship dont know if that number is his but that Davilla was one of the best hitters in the league for NJ Jackals and then the Spirit,love your pictures btw and I miss Ken Cail at the games as well as on NashuaPride.com

I played baseball growing up and throughout school. There is no doubt that the ball comes a little “hotter” off of an aluminum bat vs. a wood bat. However, you also have to take into consideration that wood bats break and broken bats can hit people. Maybe I missed it in the article but I don’t remember seeing that being talked about. All and all moving to wood bats is probably a good idea. I’ve seen people take some good shots from balls coming off bats, code:and it’s never pretty.